Waterville is a small city on the Kennebec River in central Maine, home to Colby College and a downtown that has been reshaped by arts and hospitality projects in recent years. It had 15,828 residents in the 2020 census, according to Wikipedia. The Colby College Museum of Art is free, the Paul J. Schupf Art Center and the Waterville Opera House anchor Main Street, and every July the city hosts the Maine International Film Festival. This guide covers what to do, where to eat and stay, and how Waterville works as a base for central Maine.
Planning your visit? See our guide to things to do in Waterville.
Waterville, Maine at a glance
- Where: Kennebec County, on the west bank of the Kennebec River, with Winslow across the river, according to Wikipedia.
- Population: 15,828 (2020 census).
- History: Fort Halifax was built in 1754, Waterville was incorporated as a town in 1802 and as a city in 1888.
- Colleges: Colby College, founded in 1813, and Thomas College.
- Climate: Wikipedia gives about 66 inches of snow a year on average.
- Getting here: on I-95. By our estimate Augusta is about 20 minutes south, Portland about an hour and a half and Bangor about an hour.
Things to do in Waterville, Maine
Colby College Museum of Art
Visit Maine describes it as one of the country’s leading academic art museums, with a focus on American and contemporary art and more than 10,000 pieces. Admission is free. Visit Maine names works by Winslow Homer, Georgia O’Keeffe and Jackson Pollock, and Alex Katz is among the artists in the collection, which also includes the Lunder Collection of more than 500 works of American art. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday noon to 5 pm, with the museum open until 9 pm on Thursdays from September through May. Confirm hours at museum.colby.edu before you go.
Paul J. Schupf Art Center and the Opera House
The Schupf Art Center, owned by Colby College and designed with Waterville Creates, opened in December 2022, according to Down East and Colby’s announcement. It holds the Joan Dignam Schmaltz Gallery of Art (a downtown extension of the Colby museum), Ticonic Gallery and Studios with a clay studio, the Maine Film Center’s three-screen cinema and a rehearsal space. A glass sky bridge connects it to the 800-seat Waterville Opera House, in the city hall building next door, which was dedicated in 1902.
Maine International Film Festival
The festival runs for ten days each July. The 29th festival ran July 10 to 19, 2026, with 112 films, including 21 made in Maine, according to Waterville Creates. We have not seen 2027 dates, so check miff.org.
Ticonic (Two Cent) Bridge
The iron footbridge opened in 1901 to link Waterville and Winslow, was carried away by a flood within a year, and was rebuilt in 1903. It is named for its toll, which was two cents, according to Wikipedia and Visit Maine. Visit Maine and Maine magazine call it the last toll footbridge in the country, and a connected riverwalk has signs on Indigenous history and mill heritage.
Head of Falls and the riverfront
Maine magazine describes Head of Falls as a large riverfront park near downtown, with walkways, benches and open space.
More to see
- Greene Block + Studios: a community arts center across from the Lockwood Hotel, open during First Friday events, according to Visit Maine.
- Children’s Discovery Museum of Central Maine: four exhibits (Forest, Mill, City, River) and typically open Wednesday through Sunday, per Visit Maine.
- Perkins Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary: on the Colby campus, established in 1946, with 128 acres and 2 miles of groomed trails, according to Maine magazine (2021).
- Hathaway Mill Antiques and Railroad Square Cinema (an art house theater founded in 1978) are named by Maine magazine in 2021, so check that both are still operating.
- Also listed by Wikipedia: the Redington Museum and the Waterville Public Library.
Where to eat in Waterville
Visit Maine and Maine magazine name these places. Maine magazine’s list dates from 2021, so confirm each is still open before you go.
- Front and Main: farm-to-table dining in the Lockwood Hotel lobby, with a patio.
- OPA: Greek-Mediterranean small plates and cocktails.
- The Jewel of India: Indian cuisine.
- Cushnoc Cantina: Mexican-style food and craft beer, the northern location of Augusta’s Cushnoc Brewery.
- Grand Central Cafe: known for brick-oven pizza, per Maine magazine.
- Buen Apetito: Mexican.
- Borderlands Coffee on Main Street and Sunrise Bagel on Water Street.
- Downtown Waterville Farmers’ Market: winter sessions on the first and third Thursdays at The Forum, according to Visit Maine.
Where to stay in Waterville
Wikipedia says the Lockwood Hotel, a $26 million, 53-room hotel developed by Colby College, opened in August 2022 as downtown’s first new hotel in more than a century. Visit Maine adds that it has a lobby bar and restaurant and interior wood salvaged from logs recovered from the Penobscot River. Chain hotels near I-95 are the other option, and the business listings at the top of this page show more places to stay.
Waterville as a base for central Maine
Visit Maine lists Fairfield, Winslow and Skowhegan as nearby towns. By our estimates Augusta is about 20 minutes south (see our Augusta guide). The Belgrade Lakes region is just west. Moosehead Lake is a longer drive north. See our Maine driving distances for more routes.
A short history of Waterville
- Before settlement: the Canibas (Abenaki) people lived in the area, and English settlers knew the village as Ticonic.
- 1754: Fort Halifax was built.
- 1802 and 1888: incorporated as a town and then a city.
- 1849 and 1870: the Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad reached Waterville, and the Maine Central Railroad set up locomotive and car repair shops here.
- Hathaway: the C.F. Hathaway shirt company, which closed after more than 160 years in the city.
Waterville, Maine FAQ
What is Waterville, Maine known for?
Colby College, the free Colby College Museum of Art, the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, the Waterville Opera House, the Two Cent Bridge and the Maine International Film Festival each July.
What are the best things to do in Waterville, Maine?
Visit the Colby museum, catch a film or show at the Schupf Art Center or Opera House, walk the riverfront and cross the Two Cent Bridge, and eat downtown.
Is Waterville, Maine worth visiting?
In our view, yes, especially for art and film lovers and as a stop on I-95. It has a free college art museum, a modern arts center and a walkable downtown on the Kennebec.
Where is Waterville, Maine?
In central Maine, on the Kennebec River in Kennebec County, right on I-95. By our estimate it is about 20 minutes north of Augusta and an hour and a half from Portland.
How big is Waterville, Maine?
15,828 people in the 2020 census.
When is the Maine International Film Festival?
Each July. The 2026 festival ran July 10 to 19. Check miff.org for 2027 dates.
Looking for work in Waterville? Browse Jobs in Waterville on JobsInMaine.com.
Thinking of moving here, not just visiting? See our Living in Waterville, Maine relocation guide — cost of living, the downtown revival, and the job market.
Our details come from Wikipedia, Visit Maine, Visit Maine’s Colby museum page, Down East, Maine magazine and Waterville Creates, checked November 9, 2026. Dates, hours and businesses change, so confirm before you go.